After Shohei Ohtani (Angels), another Japanese starting pitcher is making waves in free agency. This time, it’s not a big leaguer in the major leagues, but Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Orix), a “pre-big leaguer” who has conquered Japan.
The American sports publication The Athletic mentioned Yamamoto’s name in two articles on Wednesday (Feb. 13) looking ahead to this winter’s free agency market. One was a report that the New York Mets, under owner Steve “Big Hand” Cohen, could target Yamamoto, and the other was a preliminary free agent ranking by columnist Jim Borden.
Through 12 days, Yamamoto is 11-4 with a 1.57 ERA and 118 strikeouts. He ranks first in ERA and wins, and third in strikeouts. Yamamoto has been the ace of the Japanese national team as he continues to perform in the Premier 12, the Olympics, and the World Baseball Classic (WBC).
Ken Rosenthal believes that Cohen could be a force in free agency again after getting rid of Max Scherzer (to Texas) and Justin Verlander (to Houston). However, he doesn’t expect them to invest in older players like Scherzer and Verlander.
The Mets set a franchise record for payroll spending this year, but they missed the postseason, and their new goal is to win a championship after 2025. They don’t need players who can play for a year or two, they need players who can play for three years or more. Yamamoto is a free agent who will be 25 years old.
Rosenthal writes, “The best free agent pitcher to fit the Mets’ new goals is Yamamoto, who has yet to pitch in the major leagues. General manager Billy Eppler watched him at the WBC,” Rosenthal wrote.
Borden sees Yamamoto as a “low-risk, third-string starter.” He ranked him ninth in free agency. Among starting pitchers, he’s sixth. Ohtani, a starter and designated hitter, is the clear favorite, followed by Aaron Nola (Philadelphia), Blake Snell (San Diego), Julio Urias (Dodgers), and Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers).
“I saw Yamamoto pitch at the WBC and was impressed,” said Borden. He looked like a solid No. 3 starter who could step into a major league club’s starting rotation and post double-digit wins and a sub-3 ERA. He has excellent command and can put one pitch in and one pitch out of the strike zone.”온라인카지노
“Yamamoto is a seasoned, savvy, and poised pitcher. His fastball sits in the mid-to-low 90s. Throws a five-pitch mix, including a strong splitter and an above-average curveball. Utilizes both the top and bottom of the strike zone. Has already won the Triple Crown (ERA, strikeouts, wins) in Japan the past two years.”